Upgrade policy

[Enge Ronuken 1]

Umm noticed we have empty waitlist more and more often

Most new pilots join incursions to earn isk

Simple math makes it clear under current upgrade policy, they need to reinvest into incursion running almost 100% of their payouts

That means they would start to earn isk sometimes months after start

And if they don't, they not get just skipped. Many times they stay in xup not approved

If I was here only for isk, after I did math I would not have stayed, just telling.

[NCC1701PS Aivoras 17]

We've been running the maths a fair bit behind the scenes. I'm by no means a math wizard, so please let me know if I mess up somewhere. Under the current upgrade policy, WTM expects pilots to have an Optimal Battleship HULL at 30 hours, with T2 Guns/Faction Damage Mod/Deadspace MWD at 90 hours, and a fully optimal fit at 125 hours.

Assuming ~150m isk/hr which is a decent average for our fleets, pilots will have earned 4.5 billion isk, 13.5 billion isk and 18.75 billion isk respectively at these benchmark levels.

For the Vindicator, the cost of the ship at these benchmark levels are approximately 1.5b, 2.7b and 4.1b respectively

For the Nightmare, the cost of the ship at these benchmark levels are approximately 1.1b, 2.1B and 3.5b

Assuming you fly 20 hours a month (or 5 hours a week), a pilot can expect to make 3b. After the cost of a plex (~1.5b) you have 1.5b isk/month to spend. Assuming you save 50% of the leftover isk for yourself, you have 750 m isk/month to spend for yourself and 750 m isk/month to upgrade your ship.

Another way of looking at it is 750m/20 hours (again assumes you fly 20 hours a month, buy a plex every month at 1.5b and reinvest 50% of your raw profit) = 37m/hr we expect you to put towards your upgrade -> thus at 30 hours you have approximately 1.1b (plus whatever you get for selling your entry hull if its not an optimal hull), 3.3b at 90 hours and 4.6b at 125 hours, thus the reasoning behind those particular hours for the upgrade policy.

At the end of the day, WTM is new pilot friendly, but we do expect new pilots to spend a decent amount of isk on upgrading themselves to help the community, as if nobody upgrades, and everyone is flying a Hyperion forever, TDF and NGA would simply bully us out of system and we make 0 isk/hr and nobody gets paid. Hope that helps explain why those particular requirements were set at those hours.

TLDR: Nobody should NEED to reinvest 100% of what they earn to meet the benchmark levels. They were calculated such that it is definitely possible with a 50% reinvestment.

Edited October 28, 2021 by NCC1701PS Aivoras

[Tani Makia 167]

That's also assuming that you're as low as 150m per hour. Most of the fleets I've seen benchmarks on lately have been above 200m per hour. And they're above 200m per hour BECAUSE we require upgrades. Otherwise we get pushed out of sites and don't make ISK for anyone.

[Charr Coal 41]

Well, in 30, not 40 hours at 150mil/h it is indeed 4.5b but if you not make it in 1 month, you need to buy 2 month plex, and it curiously leaves exactly 1.5b which is a basic vindi, at 100% reinvestment, for 1.5 months

It's indeed easier for T2 and later but you have to brace in the begining:)

May also go for cheaper optimal ships to start, if ISKs are the goal.

Edited October 28, 2021 by Charr Coal

[Moonsine Luke 7]

It's not 100% reinvestment if you are also PLEXing your acccount?

 

[Yohan Hita 6]

WTM's upgrade policy is pretty loose, asking around 50/60% reinvestment, assuming 150M isk/h (super low) and not including LP (13% of the payout at 600/LP, but can easily be 1200/LP).

If you want to PLEX your account instead of subbing, that gives you a very conservative minimum of 20h / month of grinding. Assuming a more accurate 180M isk/h, it's down to 12h of grind using LPs. Good luck finding any other newbro friendly activity that will make you so much isk.

For the record a good fleet will easily average above 250M isk/h + LP.
 

Edited November 12, 2021 by Yohan Hita